


almost alive

by kurtbasthallen



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Torchwood
Genre: BAMF Ianto, Canonical Character Death, Canonical Child Character Death, Canonical Depression, Canonical Suicide Ideation, Children of Earth Compliant, Depression, Hurt Ianto Jones, Immortal Ianto Jones, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Character Death, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Past Character Death, Past Child Character Death, Post-Episode: s03e05 Children Of Earth - Day 5, Post-Series 03 AU: Children of Earth (Torchwood), References to Depression, Series 03 Fix-It: Children of Earth (Torchwood), Suicidal Thoughts, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-04-07 22:31:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19094371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurtbasthallen/pseuds/kurtbasthallen
Summary: Ianto died in Jack's arms didn't he? Why is he still alive? Why is UNIT holding his captive? Who is HYDRA? Who is the long-haired man with the metal arm?---Marvel-Torchwood fusion. Hydra gains an immortal!Ianto. Jack is recovering from his losses and bumps into an old friend he thought was long dead. Can two men out of time help each other heal?





	1. i need to survive tonight

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I had this idea ages ago that what if Hydra captured Ianto after he came back to life after being killed by the 456? Hydra are everywhere right? What if Hydra also infiltrated UNIT? Children of Earth was a clusterfuck. Hydra would have loved the idea of people not trusting the government after they would have given aliens 10% of the world's children.
> 
> I thought what if Hydra also gained Ianto and then they have 2 soldiers working for them who are almost impervious. 
> 
> Also imagine the friendship that will be rekindled between Jack and Steve. Both men out of time who just need some place to heal.
> 
> If people like this, I was thinking about continuing this. 
> 
> Imagine CATWS happening but Ianto is there too? Imagine Jack finding purpose and working for SHIELD? Imagine him finding out Ianto is alive after all these years and he had been held captive, brainwashed and tortured by Nazis. How would they all cope?
> 
> Set immediately after Children of Earth. Middle of 2009. There may be a time jump.
> 
> Title and chapter names from the song Half Alive by Secondhand Serenade

Ianto woke to a mechanical whirring sound and for a second he pictured waking up in the room underneath Jack’s office. Not that they stayed there much anymore. Not since Jack developed a claustrophobic sense whenever he slept down there for too long. Not since Jack’s brother buried him alive for over a thousand years. But sometimes it was just easier to crash on that too-small bed wrapped around each other.

It wasn’t until Ianto grew more clarity that he remembered that he couldn’t be in the Hub. The Hub had been blown up by the government. They had been on the run. The aliens were going to take the children. He and Jack had gone to Thames House to stand up to them.  _You are dying, even now._  He had died. In Jack’s arms. He had told Jack he loved him. Then, he died. But, he wasn’t dead?

Ianto’s eyes cracked open to see stone walls surrounding him. The room was tiny. It couldn’t have been more than 6 ft by 10 ft. The place seemed familiar. He had seen pictures of cells like this before. He knew he had. He rolled onto his back and pushed himself up into a sitting position with his back facing the wall opposite the door. Why the hell was UNIT holding him in a cell?

\-----

“Mr Jones, you’re awake.”

Ianto didn’t know how long he had been here. It could have been hours. It could have been days. He had taken a piss into a bucket near the door a couple of times, and every time he woke up it was empty again. There was a tall plastic glass filled with, what looked like, water. Ianto just felt exhausted.

The small latch on the door pushed aside and Ianto could just about make out a pair of eyes. They looked curious.

“We’ve been waiting.”

The face moved and before Ianto could comprehend it, a small dart shot through the gap and hit him in the arm. The world faded.

 -----

When Ianto next opened his eyes, he was restrained in a dentist’s chair. Or what felt like it, anyway. He couldn’t move his arms and the lights felt far too bright after the dimness of his cell.

A face appeared next to his own. It was a small weasley-looking man who was wearing thick-framed glasses and thinning hair that he tried to cover with a comb-over. His smile seemed pleasant but there was a gleam in his eyes that Ianto didn’t like.

“Mr Jones."

His voice was as creepy as Ianto imagined it would be. English bastard.

"You're supposed to be dead."

Ianto stared at the balding man. He had no idea what UNIT wanted with him but this didn't sound good. He swallowed thickly, carefully keeping his face blank.

"How did you survive when no-one else did?"

"I don't know." His voice was soft.

"No matter. We will find out." It was said with a smile. One that gave Ianto the creeps.

The other man reached out and ripped the right sleeve off of Ianto's shirt. "Oi!" That was a brand new shirt! 

There was a sharp pain in his right forearm. Ianto had to fight back a scream, biting his tongue. He looked down and the creep was slicing the flesh on his arm, leaving a deep enough cut that blood was starting to pour out of his arm.

"There has been many things documented about your dear Captain, including his ability to heal quickly. Some of the higher-ups believe it is connected to the rift but I'm not so silly as to think that."

Ianto was panting through the pain, gritting his teeth. Fuck, that had hurt. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

The creep brought a clipboard closer to him scribbling down notes. The bleeding had stopped, and before his eyes, the wound was starting to close. "Interesting."

Ianto slammed his head back against the headrest and squeezed his eyes shut. He hoped this would be over soon.

\-----

The days continued on like this. The creep would cut into his flesh, burn him, shoot him, have UNIT soldiers beat him up, just to see how long it would take him to heal.

Something was wrong with Ianto. He knew he was healing quicker than he should do. Did he actually die? Was he like Jack now? Cursed to live a long, immortal life? Watching everyone he loved wither and die?

Why the fuck was UNIT torturing him anyway? What did they want with him?

Somewhere along the way, Ianto had lost his tie and waistcoat. He was just down to his trousers and shirt. He must stink. He hadn't had a shower since he got here. 

Did Jack know he was alive? Did he have a funeral? Did Johnny cry? What was Rhiannon's reaction? Did she blame Jack? Did they question why they didn't bury a body?

\-----

Ianto awoke to being strapped to that goddamn chair again. He hated this place.

"Mr Jones. How do I gain access to your mainframe?"

Ianto stared at the creep. He wasn't going to tell this asshole anything.

The creep tutted at him and picked up his favourite knife, admiring it. "That's rude, Mr Jones. Don't ignore me."

Ianto didn't even raise an eyebrow. He just stared. 

"Very well." The creep stabbed Ianto on the thigh with the knife.

Ianto cried out at the agony that went through his leg. 

"Tell me what I want to know, Mr Jones."

Ianto shook his head, fighting back his tears.

"How do I gain access to the Torchwood mainframe?" He asked again, anunciating each word slowly.

Ianto stared at the creep, defiantly, trying to ignore the pain in his leg. "I'm not telling you anything." His voice was low but steady, trying to breathe through the pain.

The creep tutted again, shaking his head. "Very well." He gripped the knife and pulled it out of Ianto's leg before quickly stabbing the other thigh.

Ianto screamed loudly.

\-----

Every day Ianto would be taken to that chair, and every day he would be asked about the mainframe, the archives, the cells, everything. Ianto wouldn't tell them a word but he was growing tired. Why was UNIT doing this?

\-----

"Something new today, Mr Jones."

Ianto opened his eyes to the creep next to him again. But this time there was a man stood next to him. He was tall, built like a brick house, had long brown hair and grey-blue eyes. But the man's eyes were blank. It was a bit disturbing.

"This is our favourite asset. He's going to be playing with you today. I don't have the energy to torture you." He said it matter of fact, like he was describing the weather. This man had some serious problems.

The "asset" was in black cargo trousers and a black cargo jacket but something silver glinted in the light. Ianto's eyes dropped to the man's left hand. His eyes widened slightly. Was that a metal hand?

"How do I gain access to the Torchwood archives?"

The metal hand closed around the delicate bones of his wrist. When Ianto didn't utter a word. A sharp nod came from the creep and the metal hand started to squeeze.

Ianto bit back a scream, whining high in his throat.

\-----

Ianto opened his eyes to see the asset sitting in the corner of his cell. His eyes widened as he scrambled back to sit in the corner of the raised platform that was his bed. 

He had become well acquainted with the long-haired man. He had never uttered a word and followed commands like a robot.  
Ianto licked his lips nervously. "What do you want?"

The other man just tilted his head to the side, and looked at him almost curiously.

"Why are you here?"

He didn't know why he was trying, the man had never spoken before. But hope dies in vain, as they say.

"I don't know." The words were soft, hoarse. Like he hadn't spoken in forever. Was that an American accent?

Ianto stared in surprise at the other man. "What do you mean? Did no-one tell you to come?"

He slowly shook his head.

"I'm Ianto." He didn't know why he was talking to the other man, but for once, he could see something other than blankness in his eyes.

"Ianto." The other man butchered the pronunciation, but it shot a pang through Ianto's heart. He sounded so much like Jack. God, he missed Jack.

\-----

Their encounter was never spoken of. The long-haired man had disappeared out the door not long after. It was never brought up by the creep so Ianto brushed it off. He couldn't help but be curious about him, though.

Today was different. The creep was agitated. There was something metal above the chair this time. Some sort of halo that connected to wires. 

The long-haired man glanced at him from behind the creep and gave him a pitying glance. A pitying glance? What was going to happen?

"My bosses don't think this is going fast enough. So we're upping the ante today."   
Ianto looked back at the creep nervously. He tried not to show it, but it felt like it was all over his face.

The creep moved forward and shoved a rubber guard into his mouth. "You'll wanna keep that on." He stated before moving back and pressing a button.

Ianto felt something clamp around his head and before he could think another word, it felt like fire was being drilled into his brain. He screamed around the guard in his mouth. The fire ran up and down his spine. He strained against the restraints that held his wrists and ankles in place but it was no hope. The fire lit up his brain again, Ianto screaming louder. He passed out.

\-----

Dr Steven Harper knocked on the door in front of him. He heard a curt 'come in' from the other side, and quickly pushed the door open. He held a clipboard in his hands and came to stand before the man behind the desk.

"Yes, Dr Harper?" Colonel Augustus Oduya looked up from the paperwork in front of him. He stared at the man in front of him with an unimpressed look on his face. He wasn't happy about being interrupted.

"I've had a breakthrough, sir." The doctor's words were said with glee, a grin on his weasley face.

"Oh, really?" His tone was dry.

"I have the codes for the Torchwood archives."

Colonel Oduya rose an eyebrow at the man in front of him. "Well done, Doctor. See to it that our men are informed and set to task immediately."

Dr Harper nodded his head vigorously. "Yes, sir. Hail HYDRA!"

Colonel Oduya stood up from his chair and stood at attention. "Hail HYDRA!"


	2. i don't know if i'm home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took me so long, I got some inspiration back! I think there will probably be a time skip after this. I wanted to address some loose ends on the Torchwood canon side and maybe pull some parallels between Stevebucky and Janto ;)
> 
> Similar warnings to last time but there's no graphic torture this time. Implied torture, emotional torture, references to canonical character deaths including death of a child, and just general sadness and angst that comes from Torchwood and MCU canon lol.
> 
> I hope people are still interested in this. If anyone wants to gossip about the possibilities about Torchwood, UNIT and SHIELD all existing in the same universe, and whoniverse aliens existing within the MCU, and superheroes existing in the whoniverse, I'd love to chat with people!
> 
> Sorry this one is so short, I'm still trying!

"Jack! You're late."

"Ianto! Oh, good to see you."

"I'm sorry, Jack. I couldn't stop it."

...

"Tonight is full of surprises."

"Could you not have pulled your gun out on him?"

"Left it at home. Tonight's the night for magic, not guns."

...

"There's one more thing, Ianto. Syriath knows I'm here. She'll use the ghosts of the dead against us."

...

"Ianto, we're really coming back to life. Isn't that great? Tell Jack that, eh? Tell him to just turn around and leave with you."

"We can't just leave."

"I'll tell you a little secret, Ianto. We're more alike than you think."

"What do you mean?"

"We'll both betray the ones we love."

"No. No, we won't. I am not like you."

"Yes you are, son. You are just like me."

...

"Oh, Ianto Jones. I came looking for you."

"Here I am."

...

"The dead, you can't trust them. Believe me, you can't."

"If someone you loved came back to you, you’d hold onto them and you would never let them go, wouldn't you?" A voice he didn't know.

"I – I know what I have to do!"

...

"It’s my fault. I’m sorry. If you hadn’t come looking for me, this never would’ve happened."

"Tell me about it."

...

"Ianto. Do you trust me?"

"Not so much right now, no."

"I've always trusted you."

...

"It was too late to save her. She couldn’t help herself. Syriath uses the dead against us. We can’t say no to them."

"I can. We’ve got to stop this."

...

"What if I told you that you can take Ianto and leave? Turn around and go."  
  
 **"** He won’t, Dad."

**"** Ah, you know what your problem is, son? You always think you know best. I’m not asking you. I’m asking Jack. What do you think?"  
  
 **"** Turn around and walk out of here?"  
  
...

"My boy’s quite special to you, isn’t he? I won’t take up any more of your precious time. Jack, you knew who you’d find if you came to the House of the Dead, didn’t you?"  
  
"Yes. Just go."  
  
 "I can’t believe that you’re going to let him die. Again. Goodbye, Ianto."  
  
"Jack. Who’s dead? Who does he mean?"  
  
"The person I knew I’d find if I came here, to the last night of the House of the Dead. Ianto Jones."  
  
...

"Ianto, six months ago you died in my arms. You’re a ghost."  
  
"No."  
  
"I came looking for you. I couldn’t resist it."  
  
"I’m dead."  
  
"You were here waiting for me when I walked in. Ianto Jones, never late."  
  
"But I feel…real. I’m not a ghost. I had porridge this morning. Didn’t I? Jack? I can’t remember!"

...  
  
"I didn’t think you’d be so real, I – I’d hoped for less."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No, you don’t understand. I thought it would just look like you. I – I could’ve coped with that. I didn’t dream it would actually be you. Syriath used my grief and she reached into time, she recreated you, Ianto and I – oh, can’t bear to look at you."  
  
"You can’t – Jack!"  
  
"Sorry, Ianto. I’m sorry -"  
  
"Don’t touch me. Don’t."

...  
  
"So, how did I die?"  
  
"It was all over so quickly –"  
  
"Not an answer. Was it your fault?"  
  
"You were one of the first victims of an alien plague. You were so brave. You died saving the world."   
  
"Well, you’d think I remember that. But I…don’t."

...

"Did I get a funeral?"  
  
"I don’t know. I wasn’t there."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I had to leave. I am sorry."

...  
  
"You couldn’t let me rest in peace? You’ve done this to me! Dragged me back just to say goodbye! This – this was never closing the rift, destroying that creature, or even your bloody stones. It’s not even about me. This – this is all about you, Jack. "  
  
"Ianto, this isn’t how I planned it."  
  
"What were you hoping for? That’d I’d say a few nice words, that I’d be grateful?"  
  
"I just wanted to see you one more time, that’s all. It – it’s why I came here!"  
  
"Well that’s lovely."

...  
  
"Ianto! All the people I’ve lost, don’t you understand? The only one I wanted to see was you!"  
  
"Thanks. At least you didn’t forget me."  
  
"How could I?! I may be immortal, but I don’t forget. I lose everyone, but I don’t forget any of you. I work so hard to remember."  
  
"You make it sound like charity work."  
  
"Don’t say that! Never say that!"  
  
"Jack. I didn’t think the last thing I would ever say to you would be this…j-just go away. Please. This is horrible."  
  
"I had to see you again. You had no idea what it felt like coming back to life and knowing the world was empty because you’d gone. No matter how many times I die, I always wake up alone."   
  
"I didn’t ask to come back."  
  
"Neither did I! You and me, Ianto Jones, together again at the end. How it should be."

...

"In a few seconds, Syriath will rise. I’ll trigger this device, destroying her and sealing the rift forever."

"You’re not planning on coming back, are you?"

"No. It’ll be a pretty big bang."

"You can’t die."

"Next best thing – eternal oblivion, lost in the space between worlds forever. And come on! It’s quite a way to go. I think I’ve lived long enough. I’ve seen you once more. What else is there?"

...

"Well. We could just go."

"What?"

"My dad said we could both leave together."

"Never. You’re kidding, right? You mean leave here?"

"Why not try it? The rift, ancient evil, magic pebbles…just for once, let someone else deal with it."

"Can we do that?"

"I’m real, aren’t I?"

"It’ll never work! We cross that door, we will be back in the real world. What if you vanish, what’ll happen?"

"That’s no reason for not trying. Seems a shame, you know, to get me back only to lose me again. A touch careless."

"True. Syriath, the last remnant of a dead universe. Ah, she’s not so special. But there’s only one Ianto Jones."

"And there’s only ever been one Captain Jack Harkness."

"Ah, screw it. Worth a try. Let’s leave the device here for Syriath."

...

"This whole place is falling into the rift."

"We’d better go now."

"Cross that doorway and there’s no coming back."

"Why would I want to? I got you back, Ianto. Let’s do this. Come on, Ianto. Be brave."

"Always."

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Ianto Jones."

...

"Has it worked? Are you real again? Ianto. Ianto?"

"I’m not coming."

"Ianto, no. Come on. There’s no time."

"No, Jack. You know I can’t. My place is here, in the House of the Dead, with your device. Saving the world."

"Don’t do this!"

"Sorry, Jack. Someone’s got to destroy the rift. Quite a way to go."

"No! Not like this! Don’t leave me like this!"

"I’ve got to go!"

"Ianto, no! I never said it properly before."

"It doesn’t need saying."

"Yes, it does. Ianto Jones, I love you."

"And I love you, too, Jack. Right then. Best get a move on. Goodbye, Jack!"

...

Ianto woke with a gasp. He was lying on the ground of his cell. What was that? Was that a dream? It felt so real.

They had never told each other they had loved each other before. Ianto had told Jack he loved him on his death bed, but that was it. Was this his overactive imagination imagining some sort of rescue where Jack was the dashing hero who came to rescue him and declared his love for him?

He snorted. Like that would happen.

......

"Did it work?"

"Travelled all sorts of places. This planet is too small. The whole world is like a graveyard."

"Come back with us."

"Haven't travelled far enough yet. Got a lot of dirt to shake off my shoes. And right now, there's a coldfusion cruiser surfing the ion reefs just at the edge of the solar system, just waiting to open its transport dock. I just need to send a signal."

"They found it in the wreckage. Indestructible. Like its owner. I put on a new strap for you."

"Cost me fifty quid, that."

"Bill me." 

"Are you ever coming back, Jack?"

"What for?"

"Me. It wasn't your fault."

"It wasn't your fault."

"I think it was."

"Did you read the report."

"No."

"Yes."

"Steven and Ianto and Owen and Tosh and Suzie and all of them, because of me."

"Then, you know that's not true."

"But you saved us. Didn't you?"

"Did you believe in your friend. Respect him? Then, stop blaming yourself. Allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He damn well must have thought you were worth it."

"I began to like it. And look what I became. Still, I have lived so many lives. It's time to find another one."

"They died, and I am sorry, Jack, but you cannot just run away. You cannot run away."

"Oh yes, I can. Just watch me."

.....

They were torturing him again. The man with the metal arm was there again too.

There was a new maniacal glee to the torture from the scientist today that hadn't been there in awhile. God, he hated him.

"Mr Jones. Do I have some news for you." His voice was annoying too. Fucking English fucker. 

Ianto raised his head and felt it bang against the back of the chair he was lying in. He rolled his eyes up. The English twat was grinning at him, oh god. He swallowed thickly and raised an eyebrow in question.

"A little birdy told me that your Captain has gone."

.....

The asset stared at his... the quiet man with the strange accent. He felt admiration for him. Not many people could withstand Hydra torture, not the amount that he had gone through.

"...your Captain has gone."

"Your precious Captain is dead! You might as well just give it up now, Sergeant."

"I don't believe you." He couldn't be. The blonde man would come and rescue him, he knew it.

A newspaper was shoved under his nose. The headline caught his eye.

CAPTAIN AMERICA DIES SAVING THE WORLD

"No! He isn't dead!"

The sound of laughter is heard. His face feels wet.

A radio transmission is heard. "Captain America heroically sacrifices himself by plunging a plane carrying bombs headed for the U.S. into the water."

"Your Captain has gone."

He breaks.

.....

Ianto stared into the other man's face, carefully masking his reactions. Jack is gone? Gone where? Did the Doctor come back?

"We have been told that he was spotted leaving Earth. He said his goodbyes. Now he's gone."

His goodbyes? Gwen. Gwen was pregnant. God, how long has he been here? It feels like forever. Is Gwen still pregnant? Does she have her child now? Is Torchwood gone? Oh fuck, the fucking government blew their base up. 

As if hearing his thoughts, the grin grew wider on the creep's face.

"Torchwood is gone. Your Captain has gone. No-one knows you're here. No-one knows you're alive. No-one is coming for you, Mr Jones. You're a ghost."


	3. and you touch my hand ever so slightly

Ianto opened his heavy eyelids, blinking heavily. The American man was sat opposite him again in the corner of the cell.. staring. It was a little disconcerting if Ianto were being honest. Especially considering he'd just woken up. He felt like one big bruise.

"Your Captain? He's gone too?" The words were quiet.

Ianto swallowed thickly. He nodded. "Seems so."

He didn't blame Jack, really. Jack thinks he's dead. But to leave Earth because he's dead? What happened with the children? What happened to Torchwood? Did Jack just abandon Gwen, too?

He stared at the man in front of him. "Who's your Captain?"

The American's brow screwed up. "I don't know."

"What do you mean?" Ianto was a bit alarmed.

"They put me in the chair and I forget." It was said as a matter of fact, like it happened all the time.

Ianto stared at the man in front of him, horrified. Was he not with these assholes willingly? How long had he been with them? Ianto remembers how he felt when they put him in the chair. He remembers telling them things he didn't want to. Surely that chair should have killed him. But he had come back to life. Jack comes back to life all the time. His healing rate is faster than other humans but Ianto didn't know if that was because Jack was from the future or if it was a consequence of his immortality. Was Ianto immortal now too?

"Do you know who you are?" Ianto was almost afraid of the answer.

The American shook his head. "No."

Ianto's breath came out shakily. "What do they call you, then?"

"Asset. Soldier." He hadn't noticed until his tone of voice changed but now the American just sounded blank.

 "Can I call you something else?" Ianto bit his lip. He couldn't call him that. And calling him American in his head was a bit demeaning.

The soldier tilted his head, staring at him. There was a hint of interest in his eyes. He nodded.

"How about... James?" It was the first name that popped into his head. He didn't know anyone called James. It was a name Jack used sometimes when he was undercover and calling this other man "Jack" would be too much.

The soldier's eyes went blank. He stared off into the middle distance.

Shit. Was that not a good idea? Was someone else called that that liked to torture him?

Ianto carefully moved his body away from the wall that he was propped against and crawled slowly across the floor to the other man. He stopped when he was an arm length's away. "Hey," he called tentatively. "Are you okay?"

The soldier shook his head slightly and turned to look at Ianto. He nodded once.

"Is it okay to call you that?" Another nod. "Okay, James."

Ianto smiled slightly at the other man and felt relieved when the other man nodded at him once again.

\---

Ianto was curled up on himself crying into the rag that used to be a shirt. He just wanted to be away from here. All they did was torture him and ask him questions about Torchwood and the aliens they had encountered. Who were they? Can we get in touch with them? How hostile are they? Where's the Doctor?

That last one almost killed him. It always came back to the Time Lord. Apparently there hadn't been a sighting of the Doctor since the incident with the children. Not that Ianto was surprised. He had probably looked away in disgust when he saw what the government was planning to do. The Earth would be lucky if the Doctor ever returned.

A hand touched his arm. Ianto startled. He turned onto his back and stared up at the person above him. It was James. 

James' hand was hovering above where Ianto's arm used to be. He was a little wide-eyed.

"James?" His voice was croaky. He was aware of the cooling tears on his face but he didn't have the energy to wipe them away.

James knelt down beside his bed. His hand was hovering over Ianto again. "Are you okay?"

Ianto blew out a shaky breath. "As well as I can be, I suppose."

James was frowning at him.

"I'm just tired, James. I want to go home and I can feel myself slip away one bit at a time." Ianto closed his eyes again, letting his head thump back against his bed.

"I'm sorry." A hand was place gently on his arm again. It was the flesh one, Ianto noted.

Ianto opened his eyes again and turned his head to look at James. "It's not your fault." He gave James a shaky smile and placed his hand over the top of James'.

\---

Ianto didn't know how he ended up here. 

Here being... held in James' arms. Apparently this was a thing they did now.

They were a bit touch-starved, Ianto thought. The only time Ianto had seen others interact with James was to hand him a weapon or be violent towards him. The only time the others interacted with Ianto was to torture him or ask him questions.

But still, here he was being held by another broken man. Not that it was much of a hardship. Ianto thought he was rather handsome underneath all of the grime. Those blue-grey eyes that always stared into his. That chiseled jawline underneath the stubble.

Ianto had long-since accepted his bisexuality but it still sometimes shocked him when he found other men attractive. Honestly, at one point he had thought it was just 51st Century men that turned his head. What with their strong pheromones. First there was Jack, of course, and he had contemplated that threesome with John, even if it was only a brief thought. But here he was staring at another man. He found him attractive and it scared him.

\---

Dr Harper rushed into the colonel's office, not bothering to knock on the door in his excitement.

The Colonel raised his eyes from staring at his never-ending paperwork. His eyebrow climbed his forehead. "Manners, Dr Harper."

Dr Harper shook his head. "Sorry, sir. I'm sorry. But I have some exciting news that I need to share. This could change everything."

The Colonel waved his hand, as if to gesture, go on.

Dr Harper looked down at his boss with glee on his face. He was grinning madly. "It seems that Jones has grown fond of the Asset," he whispers almost conspiratorially. "One of the other soldiers bankhanded the Asset when he didn't immediately comply, and Jones shouted his protest."

The Colonel sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers together.

"That's not the best part, though," Dr Harper laughed. "After Jones defended him, the Asset shook his head and mouthed at him to stop." He moved even closer to the desk and placed his hands on top of it. "I think the Asset has grown attached to Jones too."

The Colonel tapped his fingers against his lips. A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "We will just have to use that to our advantage, then, won't we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this sounds a bit ship-heavy on Bucky and Ianto but it won't be romantic... at least I don't think it will be. But the poor guys are being held and tortured by Hydra and they need some comfort in all of this ;)
> 
> I know I keep saying there will probably be a time jump after this, but there honestly probably will be after this lol. I don't want to just keep wallowing in the torture and angst of Ianto being held by Hydra.
> 
> We need to see how Jack and Steve are doing without their loves ;)


End file.
